FAI Cup: Derry City 3 - 0 Malahide United

Derry got back to winning ways comfortably dispatching Malahide United 3-0 in the FAI Cup Third Round tie at the Brandywell on Friday night.

Derry could and should have won by a lot more but missed chances with the crossbar predominantly stopping them from doing just that. The game started off rather evenly and Malahide held their own in the very early stages but as soon as Derry got into their rhythm the Candystripes began their domination.

The first chance didn't come until 15 minutes when Mark Timlin crossed in from the left and it was met by Stephen Dooley who leaped higher than his marker but his header flew over the crossbar.

Derry nearly broke the deadlock soon after when Michael Duffy had a shot at goal from inside the box thump against the post.

With 24 minutes on the clock, Barry Molloy got in behind the opposition's defence but his shot couldn't beat the cross bar although it did have the beating of Brian Kane in the visitor's net.

On the half hour mark, Duffy came close once again when he rose to meet a Timlin cross but his header couldn't beat Kane who made a fine save.

Derry had another two chances before the half time interval. Firstly, Philip Lowry's header drifted wide after Patrick McEleney found him, and then, in first half stoppage time, Barry McNamee came extremely close to breaking the deadlock when he got past the Malahide defence but dragged his shot wide.

Derry continued on from their first half domination as soon as the second half began and registered their first chance with just three minutes gone, McEleney received the ball on the right hand side of the penalty box and fired goalwards but Kane met it and tipped it over.

Derry did however have their goal after 53 minutes of play through McEleney. The midfielder scored a sensational goal from 35 yards, curling the ball past a helpless Kane. Just 60 seconds later, Derry had their second via Duffy. The youngster was found just inside the box, he jerked right and then rifled home.

Moments later McEleney was very close to replicating his earlier goal but his effort was met with a great save from the Malahide 'keeper.

Just before the hour mark, Derry were once again denied by the crossbar. Dooley got past one defender and got his shot on target but it deflected off the keeper and thumped the bar.

Derry were bombarding the Malahide goal and created two more chances after 62 minutes. McNamee neatly played Duffy in but his eventual shot smacked against the crossbar once again. Then, just two minutes later, a great chance was squandered when McEleney crossed towards Dooley who just had to tap in from six yards but the winger blasted over.

Derry did then go on to get their third after 74 minutes. A Duffy shot was parried by Kane and eventually a clearance was made but it fell to Lowry who slotted the ball into the back of the net to round off the goals off for Derry on the night.

With 82 minutes on the clock, Lowry was unfortunate not to get his second when his header went wide after he met a McEleney cross. Four minutes later, Dooley dragged his 20 yard shot wide and then, to round off the game, McEleney attempted to dip the Malahide keeper but it skimmed the crossbar.

Derry won the game comfortably in the end and go into the hat for the quarter-final draw with Malahide failing to register a notable attempt on Ger Doherty's goal.

Derry City: Ger Doherty; Barry Molloy, Ryan McBride, Aaron Barry, Mark Timlin, Stephen Dooley, Philip Lowry, Barry McNamee (Shaun Houston 78), Michael Duffy (Joshua Tracey 78), Patrick McEleney, Rory Patterson (Ryan Curran, 71).
Subs not used: Ciaran Gallagher (gk), Dean Jarvis, Shane McEleney, Nathan Boyle.

Booked: Timlin (52)

Malahide United: Brian Kane; Glen Daley (Eoin Kinsella 84), Kevin Cronin, Paul Whelan, Ryan Dooney, Niall McArdle, Killian Timmons, Darren Craven (Dylan Vickers 76), Noel McGinty, Jacques Morley (Danny Mahon 68), Michael Scott.
Subs not used: Mark Brennan, Sean Lowry, Carl Moody, Dylan McNulty.

Booked: Ryan Dooney (8), Killian Timmons (12)

Referee: Robert Rogers

Attendance:

Extratime Man of the Match: Stephen Dooley (Derry City)